End lift



Aug. 29, 1961 END LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1958 .En "I 38 INVENTOR. Leopold F. Reisig WMM a//Z/W L. F. REISIG Aug. 29, 1961 END LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8, 1958 INVETOR. Leopold F. Resig BY WM Lk/W Attorneys rates ite This invention has to do with portable lifts or jacks designed for lifting an entire end of a motor vehicle using fluid pressure as the motive force.

An olbject of the invention is to provide a novel and improved vehicle lift or lifting jack particularly designed for use in garages, service stations and the like to elevate the front or rear end of an automobile.

In recent years it has been customary to use lifts which engage and apply the lifting force to the bumper. However, this type of device cannot be safely used with many of the newer automobiles due to the possibility of damaging the bumper and adjacent portions of the vehicle body. Another disadvantage of such lifts is that they cannot lift ythe vehicle high enough to enable placing a pair of stands under the frame upon which the vehicle can be balanced. It therefore is a particular object of the invention to provide a novel and improved lift or lifting jack which is designed to engage and apply the lifting force to the frame of the vehicle, or the axle thereof, at any desired point to obtain maximum elevation of the vehicle as a whole, and to leave ample clearance between the device and other parts ofthe vehicle.

A further object is to provide such a device which can be used for lifting or elevating a vehicle at either the end or at the side.

Still another object is to provide a unique construction which enables a relatively'compact device to lift an object relatively highabove the supporting ground or floor.

Another object is to provide a device which can be stored in a minimum space by standing on end.

A further object is to provide a device which is readily portable and can tbe maneuvered easily by a single person.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and the following description. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention, the device being shown in elevated position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device in the position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the device in collapsed or lowered position; and

FIG. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing the device in raised position.

More particularly describing the invention, in general the device `comprises a wheeled base or main frame 11, a piston-cylinder unit r12, Ia lifting frame or lifting arm assembly 13, a supporting frame or supporting lever assembly y14 extending between the lifting arm assembly and the base frame, and a linkage mechanism 15 between the lifting arm assembly and the base frame.

The base frame comprises a pair of side members 16 which may be channel sections as shown, and these are connected at their rear ends by a tubular cross member 17 which is welded or otherwise secured in place. At their front ends the side members 16 yare connected by an axle 18 which may be secured to the side members in any conventional manner.

The piston-cylinder unit 12 comprises a cylinder 21 and a piston therein (not shown) having a projecting piston rod 22. The cylinder is mounted for pivotal movement about the cross member 17, and for thls purpose is shown provided with two bearing blocks 23 and straps 24. Preferably the cylinder is so mounted arent i assaggi Patented Aug. 29, 1961 ice ally spaced tubular supporting levers 28 of rectangular cross section which are integral with a sleeve 29 mounted for rotation on the shaft 18. The rear ends of levers 28 are connected by a shaft 30 upon which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 31. The forward end of the piston rod joins or is made integral with the sleeve.

The lifting arm assembly includes a pair of laterally spaced tubular arms 32 of rectangular cross section, which are supported at a point intermediate their ends, but somewhat closer to their rear ends than their front ends, upon the supporting lever assembly 14. Shaft 30 extends through and beyond levers 28 and has its ends journalled in the lifting arms 32. The rear ends of the lifting arms are connected to the base frame by the previously mentioned link means 15 which comprises a pair of links 35 pivotally connected at their upper ends by a pin 36 tothe rear end of each lever 32 and pivotally mounted at their lower ends upon an axle 3-7 passing through themain frame side elements 16. These n axles carry the main -ground-engaging wheels 38. Auxiliary wheels 39 are provided on the end portions of shaft 18. y

'I'hefront end of the lifting arm assembly 13 includes a transverse shaft-40 extending Ibetween the arms 32 and a sleeve 41 rotatable thereon. The sleeve carries an object-engaging plate 43 which may be provided with an upstanding abutment 44. In order to maintain the plate 43 properly oriented inf substantially horizontal position as the lifting arm assembly is raised and lowered, the sleeve 41 is provided with a pair of depending bifurcated brackets 46 which are connected by links 47 with supporting levers 28, the links being pivoted at 50 and 51, respectively.

For the purpose of locking the device in elevated position, the piston rod 22 is shown provided on its upper surface with a series of teeth 54 adapted to be engaged [by a spring-biased latching pawl 55 carried on the cylinder. A pawl release lever 56 is provided.

In the operation of the device, with the lift in lowered position as shown in FIG. 3, it may be readily moved under a vehicle to be raised by manipulation of a handle 60 provided at the rear of the base frame. Air under pressure is then admitted to the cylinder 21 and this will cause the piston-cylinder unit to expand, molving the parts from the position of FIG. 3 to that of FIG.

1. The latchin-g pawl prevents retraction or collapse of the unit until the pawl' is released.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a lift, a base frame adapted to be supported on a ground or oor surface, a piston-cylinder unit mounted at the rear end of said base frame for pivotal movement yabout an axis transverse of said base frame and normal to its own axis, a lifting frame, a supporting frame pivotally mounted at its front end at the front end of said base frame and pivotally mounted at its rear end intermediate the ends of s-aid lifting frame, said piston-cylinder unit extending forwardly of said rear end of said base frame and being pivotally connected at its front end to said lifting frame upon the axis of pivotal connection between said supporting frame and said lifting frame, and link means of substantial length connecting the rear end of said lifting frame to said base frame, said link means being pivotally connected at one end to the rear end of said lifting frame and being connected at its other end to said base frame for pivotal movement about a xed axis, said lifting frame having an object-engaging and supporting member at its front end,

2. A lift as set forth in claimk 1 in which the link means connecting the rear end of said lifting frame to said base frame is shorter than said supporting frame.

3. A lift as set forth in claim 1 in which the combined length of said piston-cylinder unit, when retracted, and said supporting frame is somewhat greater than the distance between their axes of pivotal mounting whereby said unit and said supporting frame always rem-ain above a position of direct alignment;

4. In a lift, a base frame having a front axle and a rear cross member, a piston-cylinder unit mounted on said cross member for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis thereof, a supporting frame pivotally mounted on said front axle and extending rearwardly thereof, a lifting frame pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon the rear end of said supporting frame, said pistoncylinder unit extending forwardly of the rear of said base frame and being pivotally connected at itsfront end to said lifting frame upon the axis of pivotal connection between said supporting frame and said lifting frame, link means connecting the rear end of said lifting frame to said base frame at a region intermediate the ends thereof forwardly of the lowered position of the rear end of said lifting frame, said link means being pivotally connected at one end to the rear end of said lifting frame and being connected at its other end to said base frame for pivotal movement albout a fixed `axis, said link means being of substantial length but shorter than said supporting frame, and an object-engaging member carried upon the forward end of said lifting frame.

5. A lift as set forth in claim 4 in which said supporting frame comprises a Atubular member on the front axle of said base frame and a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly extending elongated members integral with said tubular member.

6. In a lift, a wheeled base frame having a front axle and a rear cross member, a piston-cylinder unit mounted on said cross member for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis thereof, a supporting frame including a tubular mem-ber pivotal on said front axle land a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly extendin-g elongated members integral with said tubular member, a lifting frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced arms connected by a cross member at their front ends and pivotally mounted intermediate their ends upon the rear end of said elongated memlbers of said supporting frame, said pistoncylindcr unit extending forwardly and being pivotally connected at its front end to said lifting frame upon the axis of pivotal connection between said supporting frame and said lifting frame, link means pivotally connected between the rear ends of the arms `of said lifting frame and said base fname, an object-engaging plate mounted on the cross member of said lifting frame forv pivotal movement about an axis transverse of said lifting arms, and linkage means connected between said plate and said supporting frame for tilting said plate in response to movement of said lifting frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,373,848 Gwens Apr. 17, 1945 2,476,380 Manke July 19, 1949 2,512,150 Geren June 20, 1950 2,790,683 Clark Apr. 30, 1957 2,806,613 Johnson Sept. 17, 1957 

